Mortgage Terms - "F"

Fannie Mae (FNMA)

Fannie Mae (Federal National Mortgage Association/FNMA): FNMA is one of the major secondary market investors that purchases loans from mortgage companies and other depository institutions. The company is private corporation and its stock is traded on the New York Stock Exchange.

Federal Home Board

The board which oversees the Federal Home Loan Bank systems.

Federal Home Loan Bank

Provides liquidity to supervised financial service companies such as savings and loans and credit unions. The bank system has several districts.

Federal Home Loan Board

The board which charters and forbids discrimination in the sale.

Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation (FHLMC/Freddie Mac)

A government sponsored agency that is also a publicly traded company on the New York Stock Exchange that purchases mortgage loans from mortgage bankers and financial depository institutions. FHLMC is a major secondary market investor.

Federal Housing Administration

A federal agency which insures first mortgages, enabling lenders to loan a very high percentage of the sale price.

Federal National Mortgage Association

See Fannie Mae.

Federal Reserve Bank

The regulatory agency for many commercial banks and bank holding companies. Sets monetary policy for the country and provides liquidity for supervised financial institutions.

Federal Tax Lien

A lien attached to property for nonpayment of a federal tax.

Federal Tax Return

The U.S. government's method to identify individual and company's annual tax responsibility. The tax returns identify the income and taxes.

Fee Simple

Highest possible degree of ownership of land. The estate allows owners to unrestricted powers to dispose of property, and which can be left by will or inherited.

Fiduciary

A person in a position of trust or responsibility with specific duties to act in the best interest of the client. Real estate brokers and mortgage brokers are fiduciaries.

Financial Depositor Institutions

Banks, savings and loans or credit unions.

First Mortgage

Mortgage holding priority over the claims of subsequent lenders against the same property.

Fixture

Personal property that has become part of the real estate.

Foreclosure

A proceeding in or out of court, to extinguish all rights, title, and interest, of the owner(s) of a property in order to sell the property and satisfy a lien against it.

Freddie Mac

Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation. A federal Agency purchasing first mortgages, both conventional and federally insured, from members of the Federal Reserve System, and the Federal Home Loan Bank System.

Full Disclosure

Revealing all the known facts which may affect the decision of a buyer or tenant